By Vuyelwa Mbalekwa | Programme Manager
Khanyisa programme impact
Shine Literacy is in its third year of implementing the Khanyisa reading programme, which aims to provide every child (in the schools we are operating in) with structured time to practice reading in class to improve their reading skills. The project seeks to increase children’s exposure to levelled texts on a daily basis, with the support of a trained Reading Partner, putting reading at the core of their daily schedule in the Foundation Phase. In 2017 and 2018, Reading Partners were based in Grade 2 classes, however, from 2019, Reading Partners will follow the children to Grade 3 and into Grade 4 in 2020. Globally, children struggle with the Foundation Phase to Intermediate Phase transition, where there are greater expectations for learners to use language to access the curriculum as opposed to learning to read. This becomes even more complex and challenging in the South African context where the language of learning and teaching changes from mother tongue to English in Grade 4.
Currently, Khanyisa is implemented in 11 schools across the Cape Town Metro, in 39 classrooms and with a total complement of 25 unemployed youth as Reading Partners. Through the programme we see 1 565 children weekly. The reading partners are trained using the Shine Literacy methodology for Paired and Shared Reading.
A key impact of the programme was that it allowed children to have more reading opportunities during the school day. Children gained confidence and read significantly more texts with their Reading Partner than they would have without one. Having a designated seating area for reading in the classroom created a ‘safe and fun place’ for children to read and begin to see reading as a fun but important part of their daily schedule. Children’s attitude towards reading positively improved, with children wanting to have turns to read daily with their Reading Partners.
An unexpected yet powerful effect of the programme was on the Reading Partners, where a number have shown an interest to become teachers and have applied to pursue education studies when the course was completed.
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